Flu, Stomach Virus Going Around North Texas

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FORT WORTH (CBS 11 NEWS) – Does it seem like everyone around you is sick?

Doctors say they’re seeing a lot of flu cases and people with a stomach bug.

Cook Children’s clinics have been packed with patients.

The Tisdale family from Aledo have been battling flu like symptoms for weeks.

This afternoon they went to a Cook Children’s clinic in Willow Park hoping to get some relief.

Both Caitlin and Caleb have had a cough, fever and congestion.

They even got their flu shot.

“I went to Urgent Care two weeks ago, and I was diagnosed with upper respiratory infection. Nothing they gave us helped,” says Caitlin Tisdale. “Just feel bad.”

Doctors say the flu has showed up early and the numbers are growing fast.

DR. ROBERT GENZEL TALKS ABOUT EARLY SPREAD OF FLU CASES IN NORTH TEXAS:

Also, in many cases when one family member has symptoms, it has quickly spread to others.

“It has been about four to six weeks earlier than we typically see our increase in flu,” says Dr. Janica Rose-Stine with Cook Children’s.

Dr. Karen Smith, a family doctor with North Hills Hospital, has seen the same thing.

“Signs of the flu are a fever, like 103 – 104 fever, not 101 or 100 or 99, and you ache all over like you have been beaten up,” says Dr. Smith.

She says the sudden spike in flu cases and why it’s arrived so early is thanks to our weather.

“A lot of people have underlying allergies that are triggered by different pollens and weather conditions and when the mucus builds up in your sinus nose and throat it makes a nice place for germs to move in,” explains Dr. Smith.

As if the flu wasn’t enough, another powerful illness is knocking people down.